President Biden Nominates New CMS Leader

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President Biden officially announced his nomination on Friday of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure for administrator.

Brooks-LaSure’s resume includes:

– A senior CMS official under the Obama administration
– A stint at the House Ways and Means Committee
– Deputy Director of Policy and Regulation at CMS
– Program examiner for the White House Office of Man-agement and Budget

Her nomination was met with mixed reviews, some having never heard of her before and questioning her knowledge of the big issues concerning LTC providers, while others believing her medicaid experience would be an asset.

The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living stated, “Never has there been a more crucial time to serve as the head of CMS, with so much at stake for our vulnerable patients and those who care for them… We look forward to an open dialogue with Brooks-LaSure, so that we can foster a collaborative rela-tionship with all stakeholders about how to support long term care providers in keeping residents safe as well as offering the highest quality care.”

Brooks-LaSure’s nomination must be confirmed by the Senate before her new post becomes official.